Re: Value-Added Tax

Tu and Bob Myers (mailto:tuandbob@ACY.DIGEX.NET)
Thu, 3 Oct 1996 22:23:30 -0400

Message-ID:  <Pine.SUN.3.94.961003220540.26035B-100000@acy1.digex.net>
Date:         Thu, 3 Oct 1996 22:23:30 -0400
From: Tu and Bob Myers <mailto:tuandbob@ACY.DIGEX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Value-Added Tax
To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, Reinaldo Vicini wrote in part:

> Value-Added Tax is charged every time a purchase of any kind -goods or
> services- is made, so, whoever consumes more, pays more. However,
> *everyone* pays. Would it be right for a society to drop Income Tax and
> just leave a high Value-Added Tax?

I believe this has two potential for harm.

1. There is a basic amount consumption necessary for survival. It could place an undue burden on low income groups. That's why some countries have a graduated income tax and so called luxury taxes.

2. In countries were there are many links in the distribution chain, the cost to the end user could be prohibitive.

> Don't you think that if everyone pays
> his/her share there would be more conscious of the importance of public
> money mismanagement?

If the people who now deserve and receive tax exemptions didn't get them, they would complain of money mismanagement also. However, I believe that their concept of mismanagement would be an additional category added to the confusing and conflicting group we have now, resulting in no progress in eliminating the mismanagement.

Bob

>
> Reinaldo Vicini
> mailto:interext@anditel.andinet.lat.net
> http://www.colomsat.net.co/rotarios.bogota
>
>
> Como todas las cosas están llenas de mi alma
> emerges de las cosas, llena de alma mía.
> Mariposa de sueño, te pareces a mi alma,
> y te pareces a la palabra melancolía
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